University of Maryland Wins 2011 Solar Decathlon

The WaterShed, designed and built by a team from the University of Maryland, is the winner of the 2011 Solar Decathlon . In addition to winning the overall competition, the Maryland entry also took first place in the Architecture category and second place in the Market Appeal category, and was in the top 5 in almost every category, including two other categories where they tied with several other teams for first place. The winning house is just 876 square feet (81.4 square meters) in area. It not only utilizes solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal, but also incorporates water collection, greywater filtration, and an edible garden wall among its numerous features. Second-place in the Decathlon was won by Purdue University, and the team from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand received the third-place award. link: Maryland Solar Decathlon Page